Means for forming the bottoms of glass ampoules or bottles or the like



Jan. 1, 1952 COBY 2,580,658

MEANS FOR FORMING THE BOTTOMS OF GLASS AMPOULES 0R BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed June 12, 1948 AT TORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 1, 1952 LIKE Island This invention relates to a glass machine for making glass ampules or bottles for the storage of medicine or chemicals or such liquids as may be desired. This invention is an addition to the machine described in my application, Serial No. 20,625, filed April 13, 1948, to which application reference will be made for further amplification of certain mechanical structures which are referred to herein In the manufacture of glass ampules or small bottles when the severing occurs from-the supplystill plastic so that the bottom will be in a. plane at right angles to the axis of the tube.

Another object of this invention is to utilize the heat which is used for plasticizing and cutting oif of the glass tube for the straightening oi the bottom without the necessity of a subsequent heating.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means for straightening this bottom which, should there be some fault in the operation of the machine, would not break the tube or work which is being transmitted through the machine.

Another object. of the invention is to provide this bottom straightening device on a resilient mounting so that the same may swing out of the way by the pressure of the work should there be an imperfect formation in the operation of the machine.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of one of the units of the glass machine which carries the tube and forms an ampule as it rotates once about the machine, the unit being at a position where cutoff of the ampule occurs and illustrating in this location on the machine, the device which is the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view on a larger scale illustrating the mounting of the device which is the subject of this invention and its relation to UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR FORE/2 3 5!!!) BOTTOMS 0F George Coby, Attlebor'o, Mass., assignor to United Products 00., Inc., a corporation of Rhode Application June 12, 1948, Serial No. 32,693

5 Claims. (01. 49-4) the work, and also showing in dotted lines a1 position to which it may swing in case of pres-' sure beyond normal against it;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the structure shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of device; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but il-j iustrating in addition the useof a cooling device.

for the plate which forms the bottom tube.

In proceeding with this inventioiL I mount upon the fixed framework of the machineat a. location substantially" where the cutting-off "or the tube and the forming of. the bottom thereof occurs, a plate which will engage the" edge of the tube while it is still plastic, so as to straighten the bottom to ,form it in a plane at right angles to the axis of the tube, while it is still rotating so that the next ampule or bottle to be formed will be provided with a bottomv of the desired The numerals which are used in this shape. drawing are comparable to the numerals in my preceding application abov'e refered to, parts of the structure being omitted for the sake of clearness.

With reference to. the drawings, N3 designates part of the framework of the machine with relation to which the units which carry the workrotate. These units are formed at the end of spiders l2 and M which rotate about a center post of the machine and pass through a cycle of several operations during their revolution about the machine 'so as to be discharged at another location in finished form. These units are designated generally 25. Each of these units consists essentially of a guide 25 for a glass tube 21, a chuck 28 to grip this glass tube, a cam means 29 for opening and closing this chuck, a lower chuck 30 for gripping the lower end of the ampule, a means 3| for opening and closing the lower chuck and a means 32 for varying the elevation in order to control the height of the chuck 30 which means is operated through rods 33. The chucks which hold the work are rotated by means of shafts 36 having a gear 37 at its upper end for rotating the upper chuck and a gear 33 opposite the lower chuck mounting for rotating the lower chuck. One shaft 36 extends through each of the spiders and is provided with means for rotation, such as the carrier comprising the spiders being caused to rotate by the movement of the spiders about a fixed sun gear.

After the ampule or bottle is formed such as described in my preceding application, flames 11 are utilized for cutting ofi the ampule or bottle at a of a modified form particular location in the movement of the unit in the machine. In severing the work from the tubular supply, the tubular material at the point of severing will draw together centrally and fuse to form the bottom of the next of the said ampule or bottle to be formed. This severing and forming of the said bottom is illustrated in Figure 1 and as this occurs in the passage of the unit about the machine and the flames I! are still in engagement with the work, the bottom edge of the said bottom will engage a plate which is the subject of this invention, as will now be more fully described, the device being illustrated more fully in Figures 2 and 3.

The frame of the machine comprises a rail which is designated I and upon which this device 00 is mounted, there being a bracket BI which is provided with a slot 92 for engaging the rail and being clamped thereto by a screw 93. This bracket 9| has a rotatably mounted post 94 standing upwardly therefrom upon which is mounted a block 96 carrying an arm 95 and which is adjustable in this block by means of a screw 01. On the end of this arm 95 there is a plate 98 which has beveled edge 99. The plate 98 is positioned and located so that its marginal top edge at the bevel side will be engaged by the edge of the now formed bottom I00 of the tube 21, while the same is being rotated and the said bottom I00 is maintained plasticized by the flames TI. The plate 98 is positioned so that its top surface engaged by the bottom I00 extends substantially parallel to the path of movement of the tube 21 so that as .the same is rotatably moved along the said marginal edge of the plate any irregularity in the said bottom I00 will be smoothed out to straighten out said bottom to extend at right angles to the axis of the tube 21. An arm I0l extends outwardly from a collar I02 which is fixed to the post 94 and between this arm IOI and a pin I03 on the arm 95 a spring I04 extends to hold the plate in position against an abutment. Thus, should the ampule, bottle, or tube exert an excessive pressure on this plate, it will swing out of position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 so as to prevent breakage of the work. By this arrangement a smooth bottom I00 is provided on the bottom of the glass tube 21 so that the next bottle or ampule formed will be at right angles to the axis of the tube that it may stand upright on a horizontal support.

In some cases instead of providing the plate as just described, the mounting I05 for the plate I 06 may have an arm I01 which may be engaged by the work I08 as it passes, and in each case will press the plate out of position by passing over the beveled edge I09 thereof, and forcing the arm I01 to move and swing the plate about the pivot post 94 to extend its corner into the center of the 4 tube 21 thereafter permitting it to return through the action of spring IIO to again engage another work piece. In this case the stop against which the spring will urge the arm is designated III.

The plate is apt to attain a temperature hotter than desired, and accordingly a conduit for air I I2 is provided to direct air out of its nozzle II3 against the plate to cool the same as operation continues.

I claim:

1. In a glass working machine, a carrier for conveying a tubular material supply, rotatable means for rotating said tubular material as conveyed by the carrier, a flame means for heating the material over an extended path of travel on said carrier for severing work from said supply and for closing the end of said supply, and a normally stationary plate having a surface at right angles to the axis of said tubular material and having a marginal edge positioned to extend into the path of travel of the material but short of the axis thereof and past which the work is conveyed for engaging the formed bottom while said 1. supply in the plasticized condition is being rotated for smoothing out any irregularities in said bottom, means to pivotally mount said plate, a stop on said machine and resilient means to hold said plate against said stop but yieldable to permit the swinging of the plate in the direction of travel of said carrier.

2. In a glass machine as in claim 1 wherein the work-engaging marginal edge of said plate is shaped to follow the path of travel of the work in the machine.

3. In a glass machine as in claim 1 wherein the work-engaging marginal edge of said plate includes a beveled edge.

4. In a glass machine as in claim 1 wherein means are provided to cool said plate.

5. In a glass machine as in claim 1 wherein a blower is provided to direct air against said plate to cool the same.

GEORGE COBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,101,213 Dichter Dec. '7, 1937 2,103,585 Kimble et al Dec. 28, 1937 2,110,327 Dichter Mar. 8, 1938 2,266,417 Eisler Dec. 16, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 363,916 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1931 

